
Help Justin Study Conservation in Australia
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My name is Justin, and I am raising money to fund a master's degree in Australia studying conservation. I was accepted into the Tropical Biology and Conservation master's program at James Cook University in Queensland, Australia, to begin in September 2025. It has always been my dream to study conservation and work in vulnerable ecosystems, and this is my chance to make a difference in some of the most important habitats on Earth, including the world's largest coral reef and oldest rainforest.
I was introduced to conservation in elementary school when I volunteered with my family at Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium, a marine lab located in my hometown of Sarasota, Florida. We would patrol local beaches in the mornings and report sea turtle nesting sites from the night before. In high school, I volunteered at the Humane Society and a local wildlife rescue facility, and in 2023, I graduated from Florida State University with a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science with Latin honors of summa cum laude for placing in the highest grade point average bracket. During my last semester of college, I returned to Mote Marine as an intern, working in their Coral Gene Bank to assist with coral reef conservation, which I continued for several months after my graduation, and eventually returned to as a weekly volunteer, which I still am today.
My bachelor's degree tuition was covered by the Bright Futures scholarship, and my parents helped me with living expenses along with savings from my high school jobs. However, in 2022 my mother was diagnosed with breast cancer. Fortunately, she is doing much better now, but even after insurance virtually all of my family's life savings were drained from medical expenses over the subsequent years following her diagnosis.
Now I am a substitute teacher at a high school, trying to spread my passion for learning and the environment while I save up money for graduate school. In my free time, I am always out hiking, birding, and exploring the many different ecosystems near where I live. I am also in the process of completing wildland firefighter training through the National Fire Academy to enable me to volunteer with controlled burns in the Florida State Parks, and to prepare me for work in Australia where there are many fire-adapted ecosystems.
The Tropical Biology and Conservation program at James Cook University is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and a dream come true for me. I will be applying for scholarships and student loans to help pay for the tuition and cost of living while I am completing my degree. In order to accept my offer to become a student, I must send James Cook University an advanced payment of AUD$14,529.75, or roughly USD$9,500. However, my student loans would not disburse until after the offer would expire. You would be helping me accept my offer and embark on my quest to pursue a higher education in the name of the environment.
Organizer
Justin Fischler
Organizer
Nokomis, FL